“Cat Tea” (ねこ茶) — yet another product for the spoiled pets of Japanese housewifes. It’s not tea of cats but for cats! If you ever long to have tea time with your cat, this is the beverage to get. Suited for hot and cold water this herbal catnip tea (またたびのお茶) comes in easy-to-use tea bags. Seen in a pet shop in Shimokita.

Another exclusive item for sale in the Tōkyū Foodshow — a watermelon grown in the shape of a heart. I have seen cubic melons, pyramid-shaped melons, even round ones, but this was the first time I saw a cordiform melon (ハート西瓜). I mean, it looks nice and probably makes a fantastic present, but the price tag is rather steep… ¥9450 (about $108/€85) for just one fruit…

These pea-sized “berries” are actually the latest trend in solanaceous horticulture: micro tomatoes. Called “maikuro tomato” (マイクロトマト) in Japan, this fruit is the dwarf brother of the regular tomato plant and is said to be even more delicious than the regular stuff. I haven’t seen these fruits before, but in the Tōkyū department store food court there was a huge collection of tomatoes in all sizes, colors and flavors (some produce, like this one, pretty expensive).

Although the cherry blossom season has already ended, there are still a lot of special sakura foods and drinks available. Even the Swiss Nestlé company is offering interesting flavors exclusively for the Japanese market, where their chocolate confectionery is very popular. On the left of this photo you see Kit Kat candy bars with sakura & macha tea, while on the right Framboise (raspberry) pie flavor bars are pictured.

Well, the exotism of Japanese food companies sometimes goes a bit too far. Naming their pasta after the famous Italian coffee drink just seems ridicioulus to me, but obviously it didn’t stop them. So enjoy your Espresso Pasta, available in several distinct flavors!

What a combination! Lime and grapefruit juice with… salt? This ソルティ・ライム seems to be a rather new creation by Kirin and while their “world kitchen” (世界のKitchenから) line of beverages includes some tasty offerings, I am not sure about this one. Probably good for your health, though…